Print control device and method for automatically resuming a printing operation of remaining pages

Abstract

A print control device and a printing device, which are connected through a network, automatically resume printing from a middle of the printing if a power of the printer is turned off during printing for some reasons and after the power is turned on again. The print control device adds a bidirectional communication start command to print data to be sent to the printing device, and stores the print data which has been sent to the printing device. The print control device receives information indicating pages already printed, the information being sent from the printing device.

1 . A print control device that controls an operation of a printing device, comprising; 
 a bidirectional communication start command adding part that adds a bidirectional communication start command to print data;    a print data storing part that stores the print data which has been sent to said printing device; and    a page information receiving part that receives information indicating pages already printed, the information being sent from said printing device.    
   
   
       2 . The print control device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a print start page adding part that adds page information to the print data, the page information indicating a page to start printing.  
   
   
       3 . The print control device as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising an equipment monitoring part that monitors a shut-off of a power of said printing device, and wherein, when a communication with said printing device is reestablished after a shut-off of the power of said printing device is detected, said page information is added to the print data and is resent to said printing device.  
   
   
       4 . The print control device as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a copy number information updating part that produces copy number information regarding a number of copies to print, wherein said print start page adding part adds said page information and the copy number information to the print data.  
   
   
       5 . The print control device as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising an equipment monitoring part that monitors a shut-off of a power of said printing device, and wherein, when a communication with said printing device is reestablished after a shut-off of the power of said printing device is detected, said page information and said copy number information is added to the print data and is resent to said printing device.  
   
   
       6 . A printing device that performs printing based on received print data, the printing device starts printing based on page information contained in the received print data, the page information indicating a page to start the printing.  
   
   
       7 . The printing device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein printing of pages before the page to start the printing is not performed so as to start the printing from the page to start the printing.  
   
   
       8 . The printing device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the printing is started based on copy number information contained in the received print data, the copy number information indicating a number of copies to print.  
   
   
       9 . A network system comprising: 
 a print control device that controls an operation of a printing device, said print control device comprising: a bidirectional communication start command adding part that adds a bidirectional communication start command to print data; a print data storing part that stores the print data which has been sent to said printing device; and a page information receiving part that receives information indicating pages already printed, the information being sent from said printing device; and    a printing device that performs printing based on received print data, the printing device starts printing based on page information contained in the received print data, the page information indicating a page to start the printing,    wherein said print control device and said printing device are connected through a network.    
   
   
       10 . A print control method of a printing device that performs printing based on received print data, the print control method comprising: 
 adding a bidirectional communication start command to the print data and sending the print data to said printing device;    sending a page completion notification from said printing device each time printing of one page is completed;    adding page information indicating a page to start printing to said print data and resending the print data to said printing device when a power of said printing device is turned on after the power of said printing device is shut off in a middle of printing; and    performing remaining printing based on the page information.    
   
   
       11 . The print control method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the step of resending adds information indicating a number of remaining copies.  
   
   
       12 . A print control program causing a computer to perform a print control method of a printing device that performs printing based on received print data, the print control method comprising: 
 adding a bidirectional communication start command to the print data and sending the print data to said printing device;    sending a page completion notification from said printing device each time printing of one page is completed;    adding page information indicating a page to start printing to said print data and resending the print data to said printing device when a power of said printing device is turned on after the power of said printing device is shut off in a middle of printing; and    performing remaining printing based on the page information.    
   
   
       13 . A computer readable recording medium storing a print control program causing a computer to perform a print control method of a printing device that performs printing based on received print data, the print control method comprising: 
 adding a bidirectional communication start command to the print data and sending the print data to said printing device;    sending a page completion notification from said printing device each time printing of one page is completed;    adding page information indicating a page to start printing to said print data and resending the print data to said printing device when a power of said printing device is turned on after the power of said printing device is shut off in a middle of printing; and    performing remaining printing based on the page information.